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IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. In the House of Lords, Feb. 13, Lord Ebury said, with re- spect to the two bills he had introduced relative to making certain omissions from the Book of Common Prayer, that it was not 1J J intention of moving the second reading of either of Tlntil after Easter. ule then rose to call the attention of their 1 ,.e revised code of regulations of the Committee <■' £ -■ Jiicil on Education. Having referred to tlie strou6 that existed on the subject, and also to the interest that a noble friend of his (Lord Lyttelton) had taken in the subject, he proceeded to notice the chief points in the revised code. He said that by it all old grants had been swept away, and in place of which a capitation grant had been agreed upon, which he felt certain would be followed by the best results. That grant would be, paid not upon the mere number of attendants at schools, but upon the degree of proficiency attained by the scholars. He fully antici- pated that in the event of the revised code being found acceptable, the grants to be made under it would be found to amount to quite as much as that ootained under the old arrangement, in addition to which an enormous increased usefulness would at the same time be secured. With respect to the objections that had been made to the new code in a religious point of view, he must say he could not see the force of those objections, because there was no difference as far as regarded religion in the new from the old code. From the noble earl's statement it further appeared that the new code had been essentially modified. No alteration will take place in regard to training colleges. Instead'of children under seven years of age being examined, a fee of one penny will be given for each attendance over 200. The capitation grant will be continued to all duly paid certificated masters, who are certificated at the present time. These are some of the alterations which have been made in the original scheme. Lord Derby, in a complimentary speech, admitted that the modifications were all in the right direction. Lord Lyttelton withdrew the resolutions of which he had given notice, and their lordships adjourned. In the House of Commons Feb. 13, Mr. H. B. Sheridan asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, with reference to the recent calamitous accident at the Hartley coal pit, he had received any information from the Inspectors of Mines with reference to the necessity of there being two shafts to each working mine and whether his attention had been drawn to the verdict of the jury at the coroner's inquest at Newcastle, and the recommendation contained therein that all working collieries should have a second shaft or outlet, and the further recommendation with reference to the beams of colliery engines being made of malleable instead of cast metal and further,'whether it was his intention to take any, and what, steps in connection with these proceedings and recommendations Sir G. Grey said the question had been answered by the papers which had been laid before the House. All the suggestions would be carefully considered, with a view to prevent the recurrence of such a lamentable accident in future. Mr. Bentiack asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in consequence of the repeated re-curence of railway accidents, it was the intention of her Mrajesty' Government to introduce, during the present Session, any measure founded on the report of the Committee on Rail- way Accidents which was laid upon the table of the House in the year 1858 ? Mr. Gibson said it did not appear from the reports that any new circumstances had arisen during the past year which rendered interference necessary; therefore there was no in- tention on the part of Government to introduce any bill. Although many lamentable accidents occurred last year yet the wliole number of accidents during 1S61 was less than in any year, except 1857 and 1858, since 1851, though the mileage had increased 50 per cent., and the passengers 100 per cent. Alderman Salomons asked the President of the Board of Trade whether it is the intention of her Majesty's Govern- ment to introduce any bill for the consolidation and amend ment of the law relating to joint stock companies. Mr. Gibson said a bill would be introduced by the Solicitor-General. Sir J. Pakingten asked the Secretary of the Admiralty if there was any truth in the statements which had appeared in the newspapers as to the bad qualities at sea of her Majesty's ship Warrior; and whether he would state to the House the nature of any official report which had been re- ceived at the Admiralty as to the performance of that ship during the heavy gales to which she had been lately exposed. Lord C. Paget said the Admiralty had no official report from the Warrior. She had arrived at Lisbon, and the only intelligence which had been received was a letter from Captain Cochrane to the Controller of the Navy. He said the Controller would be glad to hear that they had had a continuation of gales of wind. (Laughter.) He added tmit the ship had behaved very well, although the mainyard had slighcly spiung. He (lord C. Paget) believed that the Warrior was a fir st-rate sea-going ship. India Stocks Transfer Bill and the Exchequer Bills were read a second time iAIr. Lowe, in presenting papers connected with the Ile- vised Code of Regulations of the Commitee of Privy Council on Education, and in moving that they be laid on the table, made a statement to the House with reference to the altera- tions made in the existing Code. The Committee of Council, he said, had paid the most respectful attention to the views and opinions which had been ventilated upon the subject, and had endeavoured to make the revised regulations conform, as far as their sense of duty permitted, to those views and opinions. In order to fix the exact limits of the controversy, he explained the object of the Committee of Council, which was to promote education among the children of the labouring poor by grants of money under certain conditions, and the mode in which the grants were administered. lIe then stated the reasons which had forced upon the Department stood or be amended, and the considerations wmch haa weighed with the Privy Council Committee to adopt the alterations in the Revised Code, which did not alter the present system in its fundamental principles, but would, in their opinion, carry out the object in view with greater efficiency. Mr. Lowe proceeded to detail and elucidate by figured statements what he regarded as faults of the exist- ing system, in which, he remarked, a Government Depart- ment had to co-operate with voluntary agency, and to obtain information from parties interested in placing the facts in one point of view. After explaining the details of the various modifications, Mr. Lowe noticed and replied, at considerable length, to the objec- tions which had been urged against the Revised Code, observing that he could not promise that it would be an economical system, but, if not economical, it would be efficient; the present system was neither efficient nor eco- nomical. He entered very fully into the question of the claims of the schoolmasters, which, in their integrity, he maintained had no foundation in principle or justice but he stated the extent to which the Government were prepared to go, under the circumstances, to meet those claims. He could not lay before the House, he said, a scheme free from objections; he admitted that his scheme was not perfect, but it was an improvement upon the present scheme, and, in conclusion, he pointed out its advantages. Mr. Disraeli said he wished to recall the House to the proper relation which it bore to the statement just made, and the course it ought to take. The statement should have preceded the Revised Code, and the House would then have followed the course which was usual in such cases. This was not only a question as to a Revised Code, but a revision of a Revised Code, the details of which required the severest scrutiny. He concluded that it would be the general wish that there should be no discussion of the subject that night, but that the House would be informed on what night its opinion would be taken. He complained of the manner in which the Revised Code had been introduced to public notice. A scheme which affected a complete revolution in the existing system should have been submitted to Parliament before the prorogation. The course pursued, if it was a constitutional course, was at variance with practice and precedent, as well as violent and unwise. Observations and inquiries were made by Mr. Newdegate, Mr. Kinnaird, Mr. Caird, and Lord R. Cecil, and answered by Mr. Lowe, who made a more detailed reply to Mr. Dis- raeli. It was not, he said, for the Government to fix any particular day for the discussion of the subject. Sir J. Pakington reiterated the complaint of Mr. Disraeli as to the late period at which the Revised Code had been laid before the House last Session. He thought this had pro- duced an impression that the Government had not dealt with the subject fairly. He pointed out what he considered to be an inconsistency between the speech of Mr. Lowe that night and his speech last Session. Sir. Walpole suggested that not only should a time be fixed for the discussion, but the mode in which it should take place. Sir G. Grey said when the Minute was laid upon the table it would be open to any member to raise a discussion upon it. After a further explanation from Mr. Lowe, the motion was agreed to, and the House adjourned. In the House of lords, Feb. 14, Lord Russell was in- terrogated with reference to the sinking of another stone fleet in one of the channels leading to Charleston Harbour. His Lordslijp said he had been positively assured that the obstruction would only be of a temporary character, and that on the return of peace the harbour would be restored to its original condition. lord Dungannon called the attention of their lordships to the removal by the Lord Chamberlain of the prohibition by which metropolitan theatres remained closed during Passion Week—a change which the noble lord earnestly deprecated. Lord Sydney explained that the concession was made because in the Lord Chamberlain's judgment the theatres ought not to be made to suffer while music halls and other places of amusement beyond his jurisdiction remained open. The Bishop of London, the Marquis of Normanby, and other peers, also disapproved of the new arrangement. In the House of Commons, Feb. 14, Lord A. Churchill brought forward the subject of "the annual custom," of tl e King of Dahomey, and asked the Government whether they would send ci Commissioner to treat with the King for the suppression of his barbarous sacrifice of human beings. Lord Palmerston, in reply, said that a Mission had been sent to the King of Dahomey to endeavour to induce him to at some length the matters referred to in the speech of Mr Forster, paying a tribute, in the course of his observation to the disinterested conduct of Mr, Cobdeii. He assured Mr. Newdegate that he was entirely mistaken in attributing the distress in Coventry to the French treaty; its true cause was to be traced to a law of human nattire-the fluctuations of fashion. abandon his inhuman practices, which had not met with success, and it was always difficult to prevail upon a savage people to forego native customs. No opportunity, how ever, would be lost of renewing the endeavours. With regard to the slave trade, the African chiefs would not relinquish'it unless they were convinced that legitimate trade would yield most profit. In answer to Mr. Forster, he said negotiations were going on between Her Majesty's and the Belgian Governments, which were conducted in the most amicable spirit, and, if successful, would place Great Britain upon the footing, and give us all the advantages, of the most favoured nation. He discussed Sir C. Wood, in replying to questions put by Co. Sykes, gave copious explanations; iiijustification of the Home Go- vernment, which he defended against the charge of forcing upon India an unnecessarily large amount of European troops, and thereby burdening the Indian finances,—the Indian Government having asked for more European troops than the Home authorities consented to give. The House then went into a Committee of Supply, when the Chairman was ordered to report progress. On the order for the second reading of the Highways Bill, Mr. Barrow moved to defer the second reading for six months. He argued that the bill was uncalled for and un- necessary; that it would introduce a system of centralisa- tion and bureaucracy, and would abrogate the'rights of parishes to manage their own affairs. This amendment was seconded by Mr, Hodgkinson, who subscribed to the objections tirged by Mr; Barrow. The present system, which the Bill would destroy, though ill administered, was theoretically right. Mr. Bass said his observation and experience had led him to a conclusion opposite to that of the two hon. members. The highways were in a very bad condition, and under the system proposed by the bill they would be much improved, with a saving of money to the ratepayers. Colonel Barttelot observed that, though one-third of the roads were good, one-third were decidedly bad; that some- thing must be done, and he thought that, in Committee, the bill might be so framed as to meet the requisites of the case. Mr. JDodson spoke in support of the .bill, which, he sug- gested, should be referred to a Select Committee. After some remarks from Colonel Patten, Mr. A. Bruce, Mr. Deedes, Mr. Walter, and Mr. Henley, Sir G. Grey re- peated what he had stated when he moved for leave to bring in the bill, that it was identical in principle with the former bill, which had been affirmed by the House, and similar to it in most of its details. In replying to objections, he insisted upon the necessity of a measure of this kind, and expressed his belief that, ultimately, when the roads were put in a state of repair, the proposed system woulA prove economical. With the understanding that if the bill were referred to a select committee the details only would be con- sidered, and there would be no delay, he should not object to its being so referred. Upon a division the amendment was negatived by 141 to 30, and the bill was read a second time. Sir R. Peel obtained leave to bring in a Bill for the better regulation of markets and fairs in Ireland. On the motion of Mr. Villiers, a select committee was ap- pointed toinquire into the administration for the relief of the poor. Sir R. Peel moved for and obtained leave to bring in a Bill to amend the laws in force for the relief of the destittue poor in Ireland, having explained its object and chief features. Some further business was disposed and the House adjourned. In the House of Lords on February 17, Lord Derby asked if her Majesty's Government were willing to proceed by way of resolutions in regard to the Revised Code of Education. As he understood that the new Code was to be final and permanent, he considered that it should be fully discussed by both Houses of Parliament, and not, as it would now be, by the House of Commons alone. Lord Granville saw no reason to depart from the usual mode of proceeding; the Government, however, had no wish to prevent a full discussion by their lordships, for which many opportunities might be found. Lord Clarendon vindicated his conduct when Foreign Secretary from certain charges in Count Cavour's recently published letters. He had never encouraged Count Cavour to make war with Austria. All he had said,was that he re- gretted the foreign occupation of Italy, and should be glad to see it cease. He had always said that the policy of Eng- land would be strict neutrality .and adherence to treaties. The Lord Chancellor, in laying upon the table a bill to facilitate the Transfer of Land, explained the difficulties, expense, and uncertainty of the present state of the lav, owing to the difficulties of verifying the title, and briefly detailed the various causes, remote and present,. which had led to such a result. He explained that the object of the measure was tlireefold-first, to give a good statutory indefeasible title; second, to provide the means by which that title might be ascertained and thirdly, the means by which it might be transferred. A registry would be;esta blished, to be divided into two parts—one for guaranteed or statutory titles, and the other for such titles as were intended to be made statutory and indefeasible. There would also be a register of mortgages and, upon the whole, the transfer of an estate would, under the bill, be made in the same manner and with the same formalities as the transfer of stock in the Bank of England, and with as little an expenditure of time and money. After a short discussion, in which Lord St. Leonards, Lord Cranworth, and Lord Chelmsford took part, the bill, with two others on the same subject proposed by Lord Chelmsford, and two by Lord Cranworth, were brought in and read a first time. Their lordships then adjourned. In the House of Commons, on the order for going into a Committee of Supply on Navy and Army Supplementary Estimates. 1861-1862. Sir H. Willoughby asked whether the 973,0001, to be voted for these Supplementary Estimates was the whole charge which the country would be called upon to pay, and whether the House would have an assurance that money voted for one purpose should not be applied to another. Sir G. Lewis said it was impossible for the Government to say at the present time whether the estimate would cover the excess of expenditure; but, as far as their information went, they believed the estimates would be sufficient. Mr. Bright took the opportunity of questioning the ex- pediency of this expenditure of nearly.a million of money. It did not appear from the dispatches that any blaane attached to Her Majesty's Government in relation to the affair of the Trent; but there was a great deal of difference between the conduct of the Foreign-office in the dispatches and other parts of the conduct of the Government. He condemned, in strong terms, measures taken by the Govern- ment contemporaneously with the dispatches, as calculated to create a belief that war was inevitable. It must have been well known, he said, that the American Government would not and could not have resisted the demand for the surrender of the persons taken in the Trent; but there were certain sections in this country desirous of provoking a war between the two countries, and the great demonstra- tion of force made by the Government led many persons to the conclusion that there would be war. There was no Government in the world so. much disposed to abide by defined law as that of the United States, and he had no doubt that the unhappy accident would have been amicably settled at once but for the menaces on this side. When such a cause produced a jarring between the two nations, jt; was the policy and the duty of this Government: to try all mode. rate measures before they took steps that tended to paralyse commerce and involve all classes in loss. Mr. Baxter could not concur with Mr. Bright in condemn- ing the measures of the Government, which showed that Great Britain was in earnest. So far from the event creating bitter feelings in America, he believed it would in the end, and before long, lead to a much better understanding between the two countries. Lord Palmerston observed, with all deference" to Mr. Bright, that the opinions he had expressed were as nearly as possible confined to himself. If the United States Govern- ment had felt themselves bound by international law, as the hon. member asserted, why had they not, upon their own principles, given up the prisoners ? Why did they wait for the demand to be made, and for the display of force? To his mind the delay which had taken place was proof con- clusive that they had not come to an early decision that the seizure of the Confederate commissioners was an act which they were bound to disavow. Besides, Captain Wilkes was made the hero of the hour for having had the courage to insult the British flag. He was honoured with a grand ovation at Boston, where persons holding high official position joined in the general chorus of exultation. He was applauded at New York. And he received the thanks of the House of Representatives and the approbation of the Admiralty. So far from the Government being blameworthy, then, "he considered that they were entitled to commenda- tion, for there was no better security for peace between two great nations than a conviction on both sides that each must respect the other, and that each was capable of de- fending itself against the other. The House then went into Committee, when the several items of the estimates underwent a long discussion, in the course of which the question as to the incidence of the ex- pense attending the defence of the North American colonies was mooted.. The resolutions were ultimately agreed to. On the motion of Sir G. Grey, the Parochial Assessments. Bill was read a second time, after which the House adjourned. In the House of Lords, Feb. 18, the Earl of Carnarvon took the opportunity to correct a slight mistake he had made respecting the number of English subjects he had stated the other night had been arrested and confined. i J'>-fc Warren. He had stated that there were three persons, but he had since learned that one had taken the oath of allegiance to America, and therefore he had removed himseif from the protection of the British Government. While he was addressing their lordships, he would take the opportunity of asking a question of the noble earl the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, of which he had given him private notice; He then proceeded to allude to the arrest of Mr. Shaver, and asked whether any claim for compensation for indignities offered that gentlemen in America had been demanded by the British Government; and also, whether there there was any further correspondence in addition to that already printed, in the hands of the Government. Earl Russell said with reference to the case of Mr. Shaver, that gentleman had not claimed compensation, and that being so he (Earl Russell) had not claimed compensation for him from the, American Government. The noble earl seemed to have overlooked that Mr. Shaver, it was said, was the medium of communication between the Northern and Southern parties, and that he had also conveyed revolvers to the Confederates. Mr. Shaver had not said the charge was unfounded, and before he asked for compensation for that gentleman he ought to have satisfactory evidence that the charge was at variance with the fact. If Mr. Shaver had acted in the manner described, and in; direct contradiction of her Majesty's royal proclamation, he had no right to ask for any compensation for the inconvenience he had suffered. As he had said before, Mr. Shaver had not made made any demand for compensation, and the as- sertion of the American government remained uncon- tradicted with respect to the other topics touched upon by the noble earl. No one could regret more than he did the lamentable position of affair in America, and owing to that unhappy state of affairs, the acts of Government ought to be looked upon with great forbearance, acts which under other circumstances would call for remonstrance and indignation from this country. Mr. Shaver has not yet demanded compensation, and therefor he did not think that he should be justified in directing Lord Lyons to take any steps in the matter, but in the event of a claim being made, satisfactory evidence would be required that he had not acted in the manner described. In the House of Commons, Feb. 18, Mr. Cox asked the First Lord of the Treasury whether it was the intention of the Government to introduce this session a bill to amend the representation of the people in Parliament (laughter). Lord Palmerston said it was not the intention of the Go- vernment to introduce such a bill (renewed laughter). Mr. Richardson asked the Secretary of State for War what precautions had been taken to prevent the repetition of the numerous murders of their officers by soldiers in the British army; and whether it was in contemplation to discontinue the practice of permitting soldiers to retain ball cartridge in their barrack-rooms. Sir G. C. Lew1", said that he had ha.d under consideration the second no mentioned in the question—that of depriving soldiers of access to ball-cartridges, lie had consulted mIlItary, llthonties, and he had come to the conclusion that it would not be possible to make any arrangements which would be effectual. Practice with ball-cartridge was now common, and it would be impossible to prevent an evil-disposed person from secreting one if he were so dispooed, Under these circumstances he had not advised or authorised any new re- gulations on the subject. But he had had under considera- tion an alteration in the law by which in case of murder committed by private soldiers or their officers, the trial and punishment should follow the offence more speedily than it did under the present system, and he trusted to be able to lay a bill on the table in the course of a few days. (Hear, hear.) Lord Robert Cecil asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how soon the papers which had been pro mised upon the subject of the American blockade were likely to be laid upon the table. Mr. Layard said the papers were being prepared with every possible dispatch, and he hoped that they would be ready for presentation on an early day next week.

ARISTOCRATIC SCANDAL IN PARIS. The Paris correspondent of the Court Journal lias one of his extraordinary and mysterious stories of scandal among the aristocracy now thronging the gay French metropolis. We give the narrative for what it is worth The emotions of the week have "Been great, and have all emanated from the highest circles of society. The very Tuileries have been active with the scandal. A report, full of terror, had gone abroad ever since Satur- day last, that a certain great ball which was to have been given during the week was to be countermanded, and put off sine die. As the ball in question is of official importance, given by Imperial request, and attended by the whole Imperial world, and by Imperial order, of course the reason of the recall of the thousand and more invitations had been given in every possible manner to which human ingenuity in Paris can turn such an event. All the tales converge, however, to one point—jealousy on the part of the hostess, effrontery on that of her rival, and the most unac- countable infatuation on that of the host. It seems that, for some time past, the noble official in question has been very marked in his attentions to a certain fast young lady in high life, whose great beauty and exceedingly lively wit and talent were, for a moment, thought to have enslaved even the great enslaver himself. Her beauty, her wit, her charming conversation, were frequently spoken of; and even her approaching wedding had at last come to be hinted at, although fast young ladies in Paris scarcely ever expect to rise and fall to the condition of sober, respectable, and influential wives. Suddenly all these subjects of talk connected with the fast young lady were put an end to, and in their stead a steady rumour of the great attention and great affection bestowed upon'her by one of the highest officials of the country; and that the great affection, if not the great attention, was returned, admitted of no doubt. How wrong was now declared to be the kindness of the official's wife. who had rescued the fast young lady's reputation from the jaws of slander by receiving her and adopting her, as it were, for her own especial protege, thereby cover- ing the rather tattered armour of virtue in which the young lady was attired with the broad and honest cloak of her own unsullied character, whose folds, wide and e enough to envelop another as well as herself, she Generously thrown around the shiver- ing victimof critf ism before it had turned to calumny. The action at the time was thought generous and Christian, and had been highly applauded but senti- ments alter with events in Paris. Gradually, it appears, the fast young lady slid herself from the pro- tecting coils of the kind protector's cloak, and stood once more before the world with her armour of virtue, a little patched up, it is true, by the pure contact she had been enjoying; but now the old rents and holes have all been pecked and torn open again by the sharp beak and claws of Slander, and all talk loudly of the old rents in her character as they behold the patches, and speak in a whisper of the new rent which this last scandal has been making. The protectress, as usual in the like cases, was quite unaware of the deceit and ingratitude of which her protegee was guilty, and, had it not been for an accidental occurrence, she might have remained in ignorance altogether. But chance sometimes does give more knowledge to trusting natures than ever so much of the world's teaching and experience can impart to others. At the last grand ball given at the Tuileries, a slight shock was experienced by the lady on beholding her husband pick up the handkerchief which the fast girl had dropped, when he came to pay them his compli- ments, as they were sitting side by side. The gallantry is, of course, one of mere custom, and not in tt t lay the disagreeable surprise, but in the extraordinary absence of mind with which, having picked up the handkerchief, instead of returning it to the owner, he deliberately put it in his pocket. It was not even here that the action in itself could be suspected of bearing with it any peculiar signification—it might be "distrac- tion"—it might be the mechanical habit of putting his own handkerchief aside—but what, in an instant, changed the whole current of the,lady's thoughts, and curdled the blood in her veins, was the glance which she caught from her husband's eye and the answering gaze which the fast young lady returned over her fan But, in a moment, the dignity and self-possession of the wife were restored, and she commanded her own features to composure. The husband, having made some trivial observation concerning the heat of the room and the badness of the dancing, turned from the ladies and was about to move away with so nauraland placid an air that the confident wife, anxious to give up her suspicion as worthless and unworthy of both herself and its objects, rose, and, following her husband, drew the handkerchief playfully from his pocket, with a laughing reproach of theft and roguery, and bidding him take care lest his absence of mind should ever carry him to the Penitentiary at Poissy. But the husband, instead of taking the joke quietly and as a matter of playful jesting, made a fierce dart at the handkerchief, and wrenched it from the lady's hand. He obtained possession of it without the smallest difficulty, but in the struggle a small folded paper dropped flutteringly on the ground, too evidently con- cealed therein to be mistaken for accident, even by the most innocent and credulous of all womankind. Here it was that the majesty and dignity of virtue shone triumphant over the subterfuge and meanness of vice and folly. The lady recovered her self-possession in a moment. She was very pale, to be sure, and her breathing was somewhat difficult. She it was who stooped to pick up the billet-doux, for, in the confusion arising from consciousness of guilt, the husband stood twirling the handkerchief in his hand without uttering a word. She handed him the note, merely remarking that he bad drawn a paper from his pocke, with the stolen property belonging to Mdlle. ■—and, taking the handkerchief gently from his hand, presented it to the fast young lady herself with the greatest ease and grace imaginable. Without a word, she placed her arm through that of her husband, and crossed the room with him, while the fast young lady, left alone pale and trembling on the bench, sat gazing in wonder, scarcely able to realise the scene, and, above all, the extra- ordinary manner of its termination. Of course the doors of the-have been closed to the offender ever since the occurrence; but on the occasion of the ball it appears that higher powers than those possessed by family or friends to intervene to prevent scandal, and while the lady insisted on the ball at her house being countermanded, a request not to be refused came from the Tuileries, imploring, as a personal favour, that the affair might be hushed up, that the ball might be given, and the fast girl invited, so that no eclat might be given to that lamentable event. And so the ball was given, and went off with all the more brilliancy, that it was announced to be the last of the Every one amused themselves—everybody en- joyed the splendour of the scene, save the poor wife,, whose brain was dizzy beneath the magnificent coronet of rubies she inherits from her mother, and the fasf yoaug lady, whose heart beat quickly beneath t. large diamond eagle with the outspread wings whicn adorned her corsage, and of which everybody knows but too well the history and origin. but too well the history and origin.

TRAGICAL STORY. A letter from St. Petersburg, in the Progres of Lyons, gives the following details of the death of General Gerstensweig, MilitaryConmandant of Warsaw, which itmay.be remembered took place some months since :— Three of the aides-de-camp of General Count Lam- bert, the Emperor's Lieutenant in Poland, hearing a loud altercation in the cabinet of the latter between him and Gerstensweig, entered for the purpose of respect- fully interposing, but the count, without giving them time to speak, said, "Gentlemen, I have just been grossly insulted," and then, turning to the general, added, After the word you have just uttered, one of us must be dead to-morrow." "That should be so," replied General Gerstensweig with the greatest coolness, and the three officers, who had entered on a friendly mission, witnessed the most singular conditions. The laws in Russia interdict and severely punish duelling, and moreover, in the present state of affairs in Poland, the effect would have been most disastrous, if any dispute were known to have arisen between the two highest persons in the Government of the king- dom. It was therefore decided that lots should be drawn by the two adversaries as to which of them should put an end to his own existence. That sad formality took place with the greatest coolness, for both generals were models of bravery, and the lot fell on General Gerstensweig, who, turning to Count Lam- bert, said in a firm voice, "Count, there are several matters connected with the service to be arranged, and I have also private papers to put in order will it suit you if I do not execute the sentence until to-morrow ?" "It is just what I should myself have requested," replied Count Lambert. The two bowed courteously to each other, and General Gerstensweig withdrew. The three aides-de-camp, pale and motionless, remained silent, and the Count, with much emotion, said to them—" I can readily conceive, gentlemen, the feelings which oppress you, but the fault of this deplorable event does not lie with me and then striking his forehead with his hand, he added, What a fatality This will greatly affect the Emperor I should have preferred that the tomb were opened for myself On the following day General Gerstensweig standing before a looking-glass, discharged two pistols.. at his head. The ball of the first went round part of the frontal bone, making, however, a deep incision on the left side of the skull. The second was mortal, and the general fell. Two soldiers, hearing the report, rushed into the room, and found him lying on the floor great agony. They placed him on his bed, wheni he" soon recovered his senses. He refused all med cal assistance, but sent for hisaiclede-camn. The report of his suicide soon became current, although every endeavour was used to make it believe, that he had been struck by apoplexy. Count Lambert went to him, and, shaking him by the hand, expressed his regret for what had happened, and retired bathed in tears. The general lived for forty-two hours in the greatest suffering, and then expired. He was sensible to the last, begging the officers who were near him to conceal the cause of his death as long as possible from his wife. As to my son (a young man of seventeen, now at St. Petersburgh), "let him know that I have not died like a coward, who failed in his duty, or feared the responsibility of his acts, but to obey the prescrip- tions of military honour. Let him know all, that he may honour the memory of his father."

THE BRITISH NAVY IN OREIGN PARTS. From Naples the correspondent of the Times writes as follows Her Britannic Majesty's steamship Exmouth left us yesterday for Bake with a heavy sick list. Several cases of small-pox have occurred, one of which was fatal in the beginning of the week, but the great pro- portion of the sickness has arisen from those excesses into which Jack unfortunately falls when he goes ashore. For several weeks the crews both of the James Watt and Exmouth have been making extraordinary efforts to get rid of their pay, and have, as usual, succeeded most effectually, at such cg,t as none can tell so well as the doctor. At the suggestion, therefore, of Captain Paynter, orders arrived from the admiral on Tuesday for the removal of the Exmouth to Baioe, u she went over yesterday morning exercising her A. strongs en route. As a shelter for winter Bine is admirably adapted for a naval station. It is aim J t entirely landlocked, being exposed to only one wind. The James Watt has been there ever since her arrival, and the health of her crew is good; and I have no doubt but that I shall be able to give the same report of the Exmouth. A word, however, as to the wholesale distribution of their pay to our sailors; nowhere do we see the ill effects of the system so much as in a foreign port. Our poor fellows land, and are victimised by the in- famous crimps, who rob them directly and indirectly, as I have seen myself. Ignorant of the language and customs of the country, they are led into the commission of greater excesses than Jack would com- mit under ordinary circumstances, and return to their ships minus health minus ir.,oney-a source of dis- quietude to their officers from the increased acts of insubordination. This is a sad picture, which is true of every ship in her Majesty's, service, but it has a reverse, and it is this-that the uncontrolled command of their pay makes the naval service highly popular, and that, it appears, is the only consideration which enters into the calculations of the Admiralty. Could no middle course be found which, without interfering too much with the independence of our fine fellows, would save them from themselves, and from the sharks who are ever ready cs' to devour them ? Several cases of smallpox have been sent on shore, and in our hospital there are generally several invalided from the vessels stationed here,

THE ALL-ENGLAND ELEVEN IN AUSTRALIA. The following letter from a special correspondent" of the "All England Eleven," describing the reception of the cricketers in Victoria, will be read with interest. To the colonists, the "Eleven" appear to have been like a hand stretched out from the old country, which they could never shake warmly enough, and which they were loth to leave hold of for a moment. The reception was a magnificent sample of colonial warmth, expressing a. home feeling which it was impossible to convey in any other form. The only fear is that the "Eleven" will be so overpowered by the hospitalities accorded to them that they will be unable to contend for the" honours" which they went to Australia to gather:—' MELBOURNE, December 25, 1861. After a most pleasant voyage of sixty-three days, we found ourselves (all well) at four o'clock in the after- noon of the 23rd December, off Cape Otway. At about eight o'clock the pilot came on board, and at ten o'clock we had parsed through the Heads," and were safely at anchor.' We could not at once proceed to Melbourne in consequence of it being past the time for the health officer to come on board, and for whom we had to wait till four o'clock the next morning, although the pilot had informed us that he believed that officer would come on board the same evening. We were anxiously looking for his arrival, for the pilot had brought a letter informing us that the Queenscliff Cricket Club desired to present us with an address and congratulation on the occasion, and would come on board in a boat following the said official. Finding, however, at a late hour, that it was not probable they would come till morning, we retired to rest, Captain Gray kindly undertaking to callus up when they came, a promise he fulfilled by turning us out at four o'clock in the morning. A number of gentlemen then intro- duced themselves to us, and presented the following address, beautifully inscribed on parchment Address presented to the All England Eleven," by the members of the Queenscliff Cricket Club, on their arrival at Port Philip Heads, in the Great Britain, on the 21th day of December, 1861. We, on behalf of the members of the Queenscliff Cricket Club, beg leave to congratulate you on your arrival in the Australian waters. The high degree of excellence to which you have attained,- in the noble game of cricket, has won for you the admiration of every cricketer, and we gladly hail the opportunity of being the first to welcome you to Victoria. Circumstances may not, indeed, permit all of us the pleasure of witnessing your prowess in the field but we beg to assure you that we shall watch your progress with that interest which every cricketer must feel in the All England Eleven. Your arrival here will stimulate the energies and heighten the enthusiasm of our colonial cricketers, and whatever reception they may hereafter attain, will always be intimately associated with your visit to our shores. A warm and hearty reception awaits you at Melbourne, but we could not allow you to pass Queenscliff without doing ourselves the pleasure of meeting and conveying to you the sincere congratulations of every member of the Queenscliff Cricket Club. With every wish for your continued happiness and pros- perity, we have the honour to remain, gentlemen, your most obedient servants, A. P. L. ROBERTSON, M.D. C. SINGLETON, GEOKCIE FREDERICK GREGOlty, GEORGE ADMONB, D. J. WILLIAMS, M.D. H. C. BROWNE, W. n. SLMPKIN, JOHN WILLIAMS. After the reading of the address, it being a. most lovely morning, we dressed and went on deck, and were, one and all, delighted with the scene, of which, having been so often described, I need say nothing here. We proceeded up the bay till within about eight miles of the anchorage, when a steamer came to meet us, having on board the immigration officers, Messrs. Spiers, Pond, and our confrere Wells. The latter three, immediately after the first congratulations were over, joined us at a champagne breakfast, kindly given us by some of the gentlemen in the saloon. For me to do justice to the reception would be.irn- pop-" 1q. a.™1 11 therefore, confine myself simpJv thao told us that the kindly offered the use 01 that boat to the committee of the Victoria Cricketers to bring them on board to welcome us, and to take ourselves and our luggage on shore, and that the committee would come to meet us at eleven o'clock. Punctually to the appointed hour the Lioness appeared, and about 60 or 70 gentlemen, including many members of the Legislative Council and Assembly, the ex-mayor, and other influential men, soon stood on the deck of our noble old ship the Great Britain, where we had assembled. Mr. Rusden, the secretary of the committee, acted as spokesman in a kind and brotherly speech, expressive of their great delight in seeing us amongst them, and of their appre- ciation of the courage we had had m undertaking so long and tedious a voyage. Among other things, he said he was glad, being a Surrey man and a cricketer, to see so many men from that county. His speech was full of kindness, and ended in giving us a most hearty welcome to Australia. Your correspondent thanked them for their kind wishes on behalf of The Eleven," said he hoped they should prove themselves so worthy of the honour done them as to lick them, which was received with cheers. We then embarked on board the steamer, and were soon at the Sandridge Pier, on which were congregated many thousand people. The scene on landing defies description; cheer after cheer rent the air, and then again another cheer, and still another and another. The police mustered in force to allow us a passage through the crowd, but even they were insufficient to allow of any speedy progress being made. After leaving the pier, and passing under several triunlphal arches erected for the occasion, we arrived in front of Garton's Hotel, where we found a coach to which were harnessed eight white horses, in readiness to take us to Melbourne, while other coaches, with six and four horses, carried the committee. To this was added a long cavalcade of horsemen, and every description of vehicle for con- veyillg those who wished to accompany us. After partaking of some champagne at Gartoiis," and ffoFon^tfp°n+^e h\C01iy to> receive more cheers, we w-fv O P- coach' and Proceeded on our e^cHin? ] "Bridge the scene was very ™dw bemS crowded by spectators hoisted iT pr°Sress- The Town Hall had with'eLlfiifg' an? thl P6^ generally Beemed to vie ArS f ?h<?uld do most houour. enormon«g n j8 ?'/ iWe fiad that .another maSrifi T assembled. We were soon in the wher« n r-! ^kprant of Messrs. Spiers and Pond, a slight rh n gentlemen greeted us. Here We had to the and Sb0rtly after:proceeded +;ino- „ Hotel, where we are staying. After get- for arransed, which had been well cared fourSn ™arrived before us. we sat down at i^r. n^agf^Cent dinner> with only Mr. Mallam tal?ers' Messrs. Spiers and Pond—these • ""n thmking we should prefer this, after all the aouB excitement, to a public dinner. This, how- ever, is to take place on Monday next, when a grand banquet is to be given us, at which it is expected the governor will be present. Time will not allow me to say more, as the mail closes directly. I will only add that Melbourne surpasses our most sanguine anticipa- tions, and that our reception has been altogether most flattering, and far beyond our expectations and deserts. Lhe Americans we thought were warm in their recep- tion of us, but we find our own countrymen still more so. It is like steam compared with luke-warm water. .==.-

DEATH OF THEGHEAT-GRAND-NIECE OF ALEXANDER SELKIRK. • GiUies died suddenly at Largo on the 1st lit (Bays a Fife paper). This interesting old ..m was widely known as the great-grand-niece • u .\aiiiler f>«lcraig or Selkirk, the hero of De Foe's i-rcuK- romance Criisoe." She waa J the house in which be v. '.eligiously his cup and „ o relies, had descended as lieu lcu„is m the iaiuny. Many visitors have been welcomed to that Various, antique-looking thatched iiou^t? o its kind old .mate, and been permitted to jiwiKi them out of the small silver-mounted ■f f'" na^hclj -to pass their hands over the cunning oi the auld cedar lost "—to feel the weight i+-> ni ivy-rounded lid-^nd to examine the initials an(! carvings of the lonely exile. Sir Walter Scott, than whom none more curious or well-versed in antique lore, in company with his publisher, Mr. Constable, many years ago visited Largo, and inspected these relics, as well as the entries in the parish register, relative to Alexander Selkirk. So interested were they in them that the former took the cup with him, and had a new rosewood stand and silver rim put on it; and the latter carried with him the parish registers, and had them handsomely bound for preserva- tion. Many, however, who went to see those relics turned an eye of stillliveJier interest upon the shrunk, form and wrinkled face of the aged and pleasant- spoken female who exhibited them; and, apart from the interest which her connection with Selkirk gave her, there was ratich ill Mrs. Gillies to awaken interest a £ id win respect. Brought up in a rough school, she had experienced a life of labour, 'of "toil- mg, rejoicing sorrowing." A fisherman's wife, the mother of thirteen children, she had no easy task to perform. No one, however, heard her complain; and, though numerous deaths in the family circle lacerated her heart, she ever maintained the calm- ness of her spirit. Throughout her whole life her character was one-industrious, cheerful, contented, and eminently Christian. Moreover, if Napoleon J. was right when he judged the first woman in his empire to be she who had borne most children, surely Mrs. Gillies was worthy of honour—inasmuch as, besides her own respectable family of children, she lived to number about one hundred grandchildren and ffreat-srand- children. Add to this the fact of her having trained her household well of having, as it were, b stamped them with her own character—and we must pronounce her worthy of double honour. This mother of a goodly race died at the ripe age of eighty-two.

A OLD DISEASE WITH A NEW NAME. Friday, a fashionably attired and sprightly female, who her name as Fanny Johnson, was formally introduced to Mr. Raffles, the stipendiary magistrate at Liverpool, by In- spector Kehoe, master of such ceremonies, at the Police- court (says the Liverpool Albion). It appeared the lady in question laboured under a species of delusion which has been far from unfrequent among parties who are similarly introduced at the different police and other criminal courts ef the kingdom; but which recently obtained the name of KLEPTOMANIA, from an Old Bailey barrister, in a case in which one or more young ladies of family and I. fashion were concerned as patients. The disease had been previously known under different, but generally more vulgar appellations. In the case immediately under consideration, the lady appears to "have laboured under more delusions tnan one. Among these was. a real or fancied belief that she was about to be married to one or other, or both of two captains, who, as might reasonably have been exp .ctecl, de- sired to see their" bride elect" properly "fitted out" with becoming jewellery. Labouring under the confused notion as to the rights of property, which is symptomatic of this old disease with the new name, Fanny visited a number of jewellers' shops in his town and elsewhere, carefully inspected choice specimens of their valuables, manifested her good taste by selecting for future inspection a number of valuable articles, and took her departure.- As a striking illustra- tion of the disease under which she laboured (and also worked as it would seem,) some pet article of bijouterie by electric or other affinity, became attached to her person and disappeared along with her. Tradesmen, however, are so unreasonable as occasionally to object to the indulgence of the freaks of kleptomaniacs, and the proceedings of the fair Fanny were called by hard names, which, as she did not hear them, probably made no great impression on her. On Thursday she made a second visit to the shop of Mr. Promoli, and that gentleman, remembering a former call made by her, resolved to have her malady investigated, and for this purpose had her sent before the magistrate, who was also instructed that several other jewellers were similarly anxious with respect to Fanny's "sayings and doings." The first case investigated was a charge of having stolen, on the 29th January, a gem ring, valued at 24! from the shop of Mr. Promoli. It appeared that on the day named the prisoner went to Mr. Promoli's shop, and stated that she was going to be married to Captain Johnson, of 23, Seymour- street, and wished to be shown some wedding rings and other jewellery for his (the captain's) approval. A number of rings were shown to her, from which she selected several very handsome diamond ones, which were put on one side. The prisoner then asked the price of the rings, and said Captain Johnson would call to see them almost immediately. Mr. Promoli turned his back tofind the prices of the rings, and, after informing the prisoner of their value, he chatted with her for about ten minutes, when she left the shop. She had not gone, however, more than a few moments, when he missed one of the rings, valued at 241., and gave infor- mation to the police. Upon calling at Seymour-street, it was found that nothing was known of the prisoner there, and no trace could be obtained until she again called at Mr. Promoli's shop, by mistake, on Thursday last, when she was given into the custody of the police. The prisoner had committed a similar ingenious theft at Mr. Jones's shop, and another at Mr. Koskell's At the shop of Mr. Jones she managed to purloin, on the 8th February, 1861, a diamond brooch valued at 201., hivid- induced the shopman to allow her to look over jewellery by relating her "engagement," only changing the name of her lover and intended husband, in this instance, to Captain Raglan. In the shop of Mr. Roskell she repeated the same tale, with the exception of the name again being changed to Cap- tain Johnson and from this establishment, on the 20th July 1861, she secured a diamond necklace worth 731. Mr. M'Ginnes, tho assistant of Mr. Koskoll, was induced to show the prisoner the articles, and allow her the opportunity of examining them, as the firm did business with a Captain John- son, and he thought the prisoner waa authorised by Captain. J ohnson to order the articles. The prisoner in each case stated that her intended husband had restricted her to about 70?. in her jewellery purchases. She requested to be shown first-class goods, as sne could not do with common "or indifferent articles. Mr, Kehoe stated that the prisoner was "wanted" in Sheffield and other towns, for thefts. The prisoner was committed -for trial on each of the charges. r raatratea-od.'Jjoai"f mt. ..uuu murder of his wife, ;tnd of his aunt, m widow, named Lhotte, whose house he also robbed of several hundred frames. On 31st Oct. last the authorities of Grandlup were informed that the houses occupied by Liebert and Mme. Lhotte had remained closed for three dgvs, during Avhich time none of the inmates had been seen. The police in consequence forced an entrance, and in Liebert's house found his wife's body under the mat- trass of the bed in a state of partial decomposition, and it was evident that she had,, been strangled. The body of Mine. Lhotte was also found strangled, and her house had been ransacked and robbed by the murderer. Suspicion fell on Liebert, who was known to be jealous of his wife, and had frequently beaten her. On inquiry the police found that he had left Grandlup two days before, but had since been seen in the neighbour- ing villages. It happened that on the day the crimes were discovered he was drinking in a public-house at Athies with two young men who did not know him, when a person came in and told them of the murders. Liebert seemed greatly affected by the news, and pro- posed to his companions that they would all go over to Grandlup to see whether the report was true. They started directly, but on reaching a wood about midway he told his companions that he was the murderer, and added that he would go no farther, as he had resolved to hang himself; and so he left them. The j7oung men gave information to the gendarmes, who arrested Liebert next day. He avowed his guilt, spying that he had killed his wife through jealousy, and his aunt about two hours after, for the purpose of preventing discovery, and also of obtaining money to aid him in flying the country. As the prisoner's confession wag fully borne out by collateral evidence, the jury found him guilty without extenuating circumstances, and the court condemned him to death, and ordered that the execution should take place at Laon.